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ESU Football Defense History

There were many positives to be said about the East Stroudsburg University football team's offense, and the same can be said about the defense. The Warriors were excellent at losing the ball, leading the PSAC with 19 total interceptions and recording 13 forced fumbles, which was second.

Led by defensive linemen Deshawn McCarthy and Dasean Dixon, East Stroudsburg also gave up the fewest rushing yards per game (100.1) and the fifth-fewest total yards per game (314.6).

Unlike on offense, however, many of the key players will no longer be there in 2024. Most have exhausted their eligibility, while McCarthy is pursuing a spot in the NFL and Dixon transferred in the offseason, leaving many holes in the first seven lines.

However, head coach Jim Terwilliger is not deterred by the departures. In fact, he reacted optimistically to the gaps being filled.

“It's not a rebuild, it's more of a reshuffle,” Terwilliger said. “Losing an NFL prospect like Deshawn McCarthy is a big challenge. But after 14 practices, I'd say the strength of our team is up front. Our defensive ends Aidan Hayward and Ryan Hieber have both seen game time over the last two years. Now it's time for them to step up and become the big guys. Then come Terrell and Myles Reynolds and Trenton Dunnick, who just finished their first seasons. And suddenly you're wondering, 'Deshawn who?'

“We may not have the star-studded lineup we had, but we have a unit that puts pressure on the passer. I'm really excited to see these guys. Their time has come.”

The future of the front seven looks bright, and it wouldn't be far-fetched to have the same thoughts about the secondary. But despite leading the conference in picks, the Warriors also allowed the fourth-most passing yards (2,574). ESU lost a key player to injury during the year in defensive back Adewale Obayanju, but what else could have been the reason for the defensive woes?

“Explosive plays were really the Achilles heel of last year's team,” Terwilliger said. “That's what we're trying to eliminate. We played at a high level at times when we took the ball away, but then we allowed big plays. Being able to reduce the ups and downs and play more consistently and get teams to run long fields is what we want to do in 2024. Hopefully with our young secondary, we can achieve those bigger goals.”

More: Can the East Stroudsburg football team’s offense be better after its historic 2023 season?

Two players will lead a young secondary, namely rising senior defensive back Noah Hambrick. The Parkville, Maryland native was second on the team with 67 total tackles and played every position in the secondary from nickelback to safety. His voice will carry more weight with the younger players.

“Noah Hambrick is the most reliable defender we have,” Terwilliger said. “What he lacks, he makes up for with determination. A tough, competitive kid who will compete against anyone at any time.”

“When he's on the field, we have a chance to win, and he brought that mentality to a young secondary.”

Hambrick felt like he was pushed into the role. He remembers that “a lot of young people came up to me, asked questions, and even came to my house to watch films.” But he believes everyone respects each other, and he believes in the knowledge he has acquired.

“I may not know everything, but I know what I’m talking about,” Hambrick said.

Another player expected to make a big jump is Everette Dingle, who saw a lot of action as a redshirt freshman in 2023, which was impressive given the veteran-heavy defense. Hambrick praised Dingle and how he stepped up when the team needed him.

“Everette was kind of my backup at first, but he had to step in for me after I moved to corner due to injuries,” Hambrick said. “I trusted him to be good. I knew he would go in there and do his thing because that's our standard.”

Dingle remembers when defensive backs coach Billy Inge III told him he would be starting. At the time, Dingle was playing for the second team, so he was excited and nervous when Inge told him the news.

“I was worried about keeping the level of defense up,” Dingle said. “A lot of the core players have been playing for three or four years and I was the only freshman in my class. I just wanted to go out there and be on the same page as the guys out there.”

Terwilliger hopes Dingle improves physically, but also praises how “instinctively” the rising sophomore plays the game. He says Dingle “has the ability to put people in the right positions and then play at a high level.”

After losing so much firepower, it will be tough to replicate that stellar defensive performance, but rest assured, East Stroudsburg has a plan for that side of the ball.

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